Before the upcoming federal elections, in which he is likely to lose, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is attempting to approve a military aid package worth 3 billion euros, which is crucial for Kiev but may harm him politically.
The proposed package has been delayed due to a “fiscal problem” raised by Scholz’s party colleague, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, although he expressed optimism that the issue could be resolved before the February 23 elections.
However, the political hurdles blocking the package’s approval are expected to be difficult to overcome in an intense election campaign, according to Politico.
In response to the accusation that he is hindering further aid to Ukraine, Scholz stated that tough conversations need to be held if the military support package, the largest of its kind from a partner, is to be confirmed in the coming days.
“I had suggested expanding the military aid at some point” Scholz said on his election tour this week. “But if you do that, you also have to say where the money comes from.” Scholz, whose Social Democratic Party (SPD) is currently in third place with 15% in the polls, explained that he is against cuts to pensions, local government financing, and infrastructure investments, only to bring more weapons to Kiev.
He is also aware that the expansion of the aid deliveries is unpopular among opposition parties, both on the extreme right and the left of the German political spectrum. Established parties, including leading figures from the Greens and the Free Democrats, as well as the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU), want to push the aid forward. Last week, the Spiegel reported that Scholz had blocked the military package. Many core SPD voters stand skeptical towards the war and anti-Russian measures.
Scholz himself had mentioned a need for additional funds for Ukraine aid worth 3 billion euros in the context of the breakdown of the grand coalition in early November, accusing FDP leader Christian Lindner of withholding financial means for these aid and citing this as a reason for the dismissal of the then-Finance Minister.